Reds sign Aroldis Chapman, 5 years $30 million

[trwi7]

Link

[Invader3K]

Weird that they would know what division he's going to, but not which specific team exactly. This whole Chapman thing has just been plain weird from day one.

 

Edit: Twitter is full of references to Chapman taking a flight from Florida to Cincinnati this morning, so there might really be something to this Reds rumor.

[jerichoholicninja]

I have no interest in seeing this guy as a Brewer, especially for that amount of money, but I would have loved to see the Brewers sign him just to show that small market teams can sign these guys too. However, I like seeing the Reds waste their money.

[TooLiveBrew]

Is this kind of equivalent to signing a hard-throwing 2d or 3d-round draft pick to a $30M contract?

[trwi7]

If you're hoping it's the Brewers, it's not.

[endaround]

Is this kind of equivalent to signing a hard-throwing 2d or 3d-round draft pick to a $30M contract?

 

No more like a 1st round pick signing an insane contract.

[Funketown]

Wow, all I can say is that I'm happy the Brewers didn't sign him to that contract. I would be very surprised if Chapman proves himself to be a strong MLB pitcher within the first two years of the deal. As endaround said, this really is like an insane contract for a first round pick.

 

It will be fun to have him in the division, but I wouldn't have minded him being a Cub at that price.

[bball123h]

Hopefully he can be rushed up for Dusty to destroy.

[miggs721]

I read on MLBTR, that it could be as high as a 10 year contract....HAHAHA...NO THANKS

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Too rich for my blood. Way too risky for a small market team like ours to get involved in. I wish him the best of luck.

[JonnyLungs]

$25 million over 5 years apparently with payment spread over 10 years. The risk is obvious but I feel it's a pretty good chance to take. The upside would make this an absolute steal. Worst case scenario, you still probably have an overpriced reliever. Upside is absolutely ridiculous. Spreading the cost over ten years makes this deal look a lot better.

 

Chapman details

 

[BrewCrewForever]

So how long before Baker blows his arm out? What's the over under on that?

[brewerguy71]

Baker will be gone by the time this kid is a major leaguer.

 

Its a big sum for sure, but since he is an FA, probably worth it to take. Id be willing to bet he starts the year in AA and see where he goes from there.

 

He would have been picked ahead of Strasburg if he was part of the college draft this past year.

[RockCoCougars]

Since he's going to be in the Central, here's hoping that he's more Ariel Prieto than Livian Hernandez.

[Funketown]

He would have been picked ahead of Strasburg if he was part of the college draft this past year.

I really doubt a GM would have taken him after Strasburg. I think people are getting way too caught up in 'what Chapman could be' rather than what he is and what he is likely to be. There is simply too much of a risk that Chapman's control issues are never solved to pick him ahead of Strasburg.

[MJLiverock]

Strasburg is going to get $15MM over 4 years from the Nationals or about $3.75MM per year guranteed with his bonus. Chapman is going to get about $5MM per for 5 based on that $25MM for 5 year rumor. Being an international free agent sure is nice in comparison but not totally ridiculous given his potential. It's a little more than last year's number one pick but cheaper than the Dice K payment.

[endaround]

But Dice K was ready for the majors right away. Most think Stratsburg has a decent shot of being the majors half way through 2010. Chapman is more along the lines of a 2012 premiere.

[MJLiverock]

But again DiceK was expected to completely dominate and according to some ESPN analyst's a question of how many Cy Young's he would win. I would say he has been a disapointment if domination was expected for that huge posting fee and contract. I acknowledge it was more than Strasburg but as a free agent one would expect a higher payout than a draftee since the draftee is basically stuck signing with the team unless he waits another year while the free agent has theroetically all the teams bidding for his service. Who knows what Strasburg may have gottenn on a completely open market or what any number one pick would get any year if teams wanted to just buy first round talent vs. spending money on bonuses for later round guys.

[homer]

From The Onion:

 

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/dusty_baker_destroys

 

Dusty Baker Destroys Aroldis Chapman's Arm Within Minutes Of Arrival

 

January 18, 2010 | Issue 46•02 | Onion Sports

 

CINCINNATI-Within just a few minutes of Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman's arrival in the United States, Reds manager Dusty Baker had already overused and mangled the 21-year-old's arm beyond recognition, team sources reported Sunday. Baker, who has been accused of overtaxing young pitchers' arms in the past, reportedly greeted Chapman with a bucket of 250 baseballs and told him to "hurl them" as fast as he could, later encouraging the fastballer to "go nuts" with his pitching style. "He didn't even let me stretch out first," Chapman told reporters through an interpreter. "And when I started to wince from the pain and soreness, he just gave me a thumbs up, winked, and told me to keep throwing." At press time, Chapman had already been to the hospital for an oblique strain, a torn rotator cuff, and his second Tommy John surgery of the week.

[Oldcity]

That's fantastic.

[RobertR]

The one guy on the planet that I think will be fascinating to watch the signing process is Yu Darvish. There are so many angles to take with him and I've very little doubt he could pitch in the majors in a hurry.

 

Robert

[TooLiveBrew]

Chapman touched 100 mph today against the Royals

 

Link

 

Ankiel, a former pitcher with the same kind of lively arm back in the day, said Chapman throws harder than most lefties and used sliders with two different breaks. He also cuts his fastball — something Getz did not expect — and once followed up a pitch in the upper 90s with an 80-mph change-up.